But Why?
by romance-addict44
Summary: Daine wants Miri to wear a dress for her birthday. Evin barges in.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: THIS ISN"T MINE!!

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"Why won't you wear a dress Miri?" Daine asked, rummaging through her own wardrobe to find something suitable for that night's party. She discarded one of pale purple and indigo silk, as well as one in a dark forest green - they were too small. They'd been two of the first she'd owned, from several years ago. Perhaps it would be a good idea to clean out her clothes more than once in nearly six years. One of her best friends, Miri Fisher sat on the edge of her bed, her arms crossed stubbornly across her chest.

"For starters, I don't have one to wear, even if I was willing..." Daine held a dress up and examined her reflection before discarding that one as well.

"I'm sure I've got something that would fit you. You're not more than an inch taller than me." Miri scowled.

"Besides, I look stupid in dresses." Daine raised her eyebrows.

"When was the last time you wore one?" Miri flushed.

"Buri's wedding," she mumbled. Daine smiled slightly.

"Those dresses didn't suit you. Yellow is not your color. What was the last dress you wore before that?"

"Some hideously frilly pink concoction when I was eleven." Daine grinned.

"That might explain it. If the dress doesn't suit you, then of course you would look stupid."

"I'm still not wearing a dress Daine," Miri stretched out on the bed and fingered the fabric of one of the dresses that had been unceremoniously discarded.

"You are wearing a dress tonight Miri. It's not everyday you turn twenty." Miri sighed, blowing her bangs out of her face.

"I don't want to. I'm not going to. In fact, I think I just might refuse." Daine turned around, hands on her hips.

"You are going to wear a dress, if it's the last thing I do."

"You honestly think I'm wearing a dress." It was a statement rather than a question. Daine nodded and opened her mouth to speak when she was interrupted by a voice from behind her.

"You're wearing a dress Miri?" Evin Larse asked as he poked his head inside.

"Yes she is." was Daine's prompt reply. Evin grinned.

"Tonight should be very interesting indeed," he mused, half to himself. Miri flushed.

"What are you doing here?" she asked irritably and he smiled secretively, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Can't tell you that, it'd give away the surprise." He glanced around the room, his eyes lingering on the mess spilling from Daine's wardrobe. "Actually, I just thought I'd stop by and see what you were up to. You've been shut in here since breakfast, and I was curious." He eyed them suspiciously.

"Have you really spent three hours looking though dresses?" When the didn't answer, he shook his head. "I don't know how you can stand it. Well, good luck finding something for Miri to wear - she's notoriously picky when it comes to clothes."

"I am not..." Her voice trailed off as he left, whistling. Daine pulled a white blouse from the wardrobe and put it aside when she found a large tear in the sleeve. A few minutes passed in silence before Miri spoke.

"I'm not wearing a dress." Her voice was flat. Daine grinned.

"You don't have a choice now," she said. Miri raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?" Daine's grin grew.

"Evin's expecting you to. Just imagine how disappointed he'll be."

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A/N: Hee. I rather like this.


	2. Chapter 2

Daine pushed a protesting Miri in front of the floor length mirror. Miri froze as she caught sight of herself. Then she turned to Daine, frowning.

"I thought you said yellow wasn't my color," she said in an almost provocative tone. Daine shrugged innocently.

"This yellow is." Miri sighed and returned to examining herself in the mirror.

"It doesn't fit right," she complained after a moment.

"That's easy enough to fix. Other than that, what do you think?" Miri considered herself for a moment longer.

"It's alright, I suppose..." She let her voice trail off. Daine's mouth dropped.

"Alright? You suppose? It's perfect Miri. You wouldn't find something that suited you better if you searched for a hundred years. Dresses like this are one in a million, and..." She stopped as she saw the corners of Miri's mouth twitch.

"You're teasing me, aren't you?" Miri stopped trying to contain the grin that broke out across her face.

"It's splendid Daine. I still refuse to wear it to the party tonight, but it's splendid." Daine flopped back on her bed.

"You're not going to wear it?" she asked in defeat. Miri shook her head.

"I couldn't. What would Evin say? I don't think..." She broke off, her cheeks flushing. Daine rolled over, grinning.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed in triumph. "You do fancy him!" Miri sighed, sinking onto the bed beside her friend.

"No," she began, but Daine rolled her eyes.

"Don't lie Miri. It's written all over your face." Miri flushed.

"Is it that obvious?" she asked in a small voice. Daine grinned.

"Only to those who know you as well as I do." Miri sighed, plucking at the fabric of the skirt. The dress wasn't overly fancy, nor was it poofy or fluffy or frilly, or any of the other numerous things Miri had been imagining. And she had to admit, that particular shade of yellow suited her perfectly.

"Come on Miri. You should wear it." Miri glanced at herself in the mirror again.

"Do you really think so?" she asked hesitantly, tucking a short strand of hair behind her ear. Daine nodded eagerly.

"Yes I do. It's not every day you get to turn twenty." Miri groaned and buried her face in her arms.

"Don't remind me." She stretched out beside Daine. "Are you saying I should because you are my bestest friend in the whole wide world and you really think it's the right thing to do, or are you saying it because you want to see what sort of chaos it causes?" Daine smiled guiltily.

"Both," she admitted. Miri elbowed her in the ribs.

"Well..." Miri began. " I don't suppose it could hurt. Much." Daine grinned triumphantly.

"Besides, tonight will be much more interesting if you do," she said, dodging out of Miri's reach. They both sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Daine," Miri finally said, breaking the comfortable silence. "Yellow's not your color either."

"No, it's not," she admitted. "Where are you going with this?" Miri grinned.

"Why do you own a yellow dress?" she asked. Daine blushed.

"It's from Numair," she said in a rush.

"What?" Miri asked, though Daine knew she had understood perfectly.

"It's. From. Numair." Daine said through gritted teeth.

"You ever wear it?" Miri asked.

"Again, where are you going with this?"

"Have you ever worn it?" Miri asked again.

"No." Daine grumbled. Miri grinned.

"Just think of how disappointed he must have been."


End file.
